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Cotira Blackmane
Present History Cotira Blackmane was born in Lakeshire during reconstruction efforts of the town, she was born as the love child of Serena Blackmane, a corporal in the Lakeshire Militia and an Unknown Elven High Elf who was passing through the town at the time. Her 'father' left shortly before Cotira herself was born. At first her Elven features were entirly un-noticable until she was a small child, the other children of the village started to notice that she was slightly less taller than other children, eventually it was clear she was thiiner and more slender than the other children... then the most damning thing of all about her aperance were her ears: they were pointed, the clear sign of elven blood. This discovery came at the worst possible time as the Elves were now seen with distrust and an air of prejudice. This earned her the wrath of the other children: being called names such as 'Mongrel', 'Abomination', 'Traitor'... it didn't end with verbal abuse, at times the other children, even some of the adults of the town threw improvised projectiles at Cotira, often shouting at her to leave the village. Most of the time Cotira's mother would scare off those who hated her daughter, going so far as thretening on-the-spot executions in the heat of argument for anyone who spoke ill of her daughter. When Cotira was twelve years old, her mother was declared Missing after a Patrol out to Stonewatch Keep was ambushed by Blackrock Orcs. Hearing her mother may be missing, or worse, cause Cotira to simply try and hide away from everyone else in the town, going to great lengths just to keep herself hidden from the potential lynch mobs that may come after her. Three weeks later she saw her means of escape: a supply convoy from Stormwind, which was a rare site in these parts of the reigon. Whilst the Supply Carts were unloading their supplies Cotira snuck her way aboard the middle carriage of the convoy, hiding her under a drape that had been discarded by the Peasents offloading the supplies. An hour after she snuck aboard the Convoy left Lakeshire, taking her with them, all the way back to Stormwind City. Upon arrival Coti was quick to vacate the carriage before she was picked up as a stowaway and handed over to the Guards. After that day it was a struggle just to stay alive in a city like Stormwind: she slept rough in alleyways and on doorsteps in nothing but the clothes on her back, gradually reducing to torn tatters. Sometimes she'd shack up with other homeless city residents and ultimatly resulting in stealing from passers-by and the various food stalls in the Trade District. One night when she was thirteen, so desperate to find a place of safety to sleep she was forced to agree giving herself to one of the male beggers for a night of pleasure, somethign she would immediatly come to regret the next day. Four months later she noticed that a large bump was starting to form from her abdomen... the man had given her child, a child she knew she couldn't support in her present condition... she gave birth, alone and in the dead of night. The next morning she wrapped the baby in a blanket and simply left it on the doorstep of a family home she knew could provide for the baby... even the mere thought of it today bringds Cotira to tears. By the time Cotira turned fifteen, her skill at releiving people of their posessions without their notice helped support Cotiry as she still inhabited Stormwind's streets. Ultimatly she decided to see how good her skills were by commiting theft on the home of a Trade District merchant... she got away with two bolts of finely-woven Mageweave and assorted dyes and the homeowner had no idea until the home owner took check of the stock. From that moment onward, Coti thoguth she could get away with any sort of theft but she knew not to steal anything bigger than she could handle. As time went on, her thefts became more bold, her intended targets becoming more valuable in price on the Black Market, but as with most tefts like that it started to attract the attention of the guards, prompting Coti to learn how to evade capture through various means, often pitting her natural athleticism to good and extensive use or to either just dissapear into the crowd as no one might susspect a girl at her age to commit thievery. Durign the course of her spree she addpoted the name 'Black Mane', a play on her family name. Eventually she would steal anything that wasn't nailed down and was worth a small fortune on the Black Market, all the while making the City Guard looking damn near helpless to stop her as she could easily out-run them in all their plate armor. Ultimatly, Coti's capture didn't come at the hands of the City Guard, but at SI:7s hands. All the while Coti had made fools of the guards, they had been studying her patterns and her methods so as to better orchestrate her capture. Eventually they did orchestrate a trap to catch Blackmaneand ensure she couldn't escape this time round. As expected, Coti took the bait and fell into SI:7s trap, as she attmpted to flee the house an Agent in waiting pounced and pinned her to the ground like a dead weight. Once restrained she was dragged, kicking and screaming, to SI:7 HQ in Old town where she was brought before Lord Mathias Shaw himself. Whilst still restrained Shaw started to explain that, by City law, she should be thrown into the Stockade for her eighteen month spree of theft... but he also exlained that he was quite impressed at her skills and capabilities in agility. After a speech that was clearly meant to intimidate her he made Coti an offer he knew she couldn't and wouldn't turn down: she could either face scentance of the City's judicional body and face near-life in the Stocade, or she could do some of SI:7s "Dirty Work", be recognised as a member of the Intellegence group and, after a set period of time, would recieve a clean slate, meaning her criminal acts never happened... Coti indeed felt like she had no choice and decided to work for SI:7. After that day, Coti spent Two years as part of SI:7, learning how to weild light-weight weapons, ultimatly picking up her Skinning and Leatherworking talents with... initially humorous results. But ultimatly she was on SI:7s leash, whatever they told her to do, she had to do it, one way or the other, or risk being handed over to the guards. She earned her freedom from SI:7 however during the dying days of the Northern Campaign: operating from Dalaran she was ordered to deal as much damage to the Scourge leadership as possble before the Argent Crusade brought the doors of Icecrown Citadel down and they began their final offensive. In the time before the attack took place Coti stuck at as man high-priority targets she could: Death Knights, Liches, Vrykul Chieftans, any and all that could effect the defences of the Citadel when the attack did come. The second the Citadel was breached Coti was recalled to Stormwind where, subsequentually, Shaw kept his word and told Coti she was a free woman. Shortly after leaving SI:7 she began to slip back into the habit of sleeping rough, but now she was armed with the means of making an honest prophet, selling pelts and leather armor items to various vendors about the city... all the while trying to think about what she could now now. Some time before the Shattering occured, Cotira had heard of the Stormwind Vanguard and hoped that they were seeking new blood. With her skill pallete she thought she could help them. It was on chance she found Brennian Johnston and attempted to discuss the possibility of joining the Vanguard. Several days of discussions passed before Cotira recieved word that she would indeed be accepted as an enlisted member of the Stormwind Vanguard. In the time she had been with the Vanguard she has proven her combat skills and athletic ability on several occasions both on duty within Stormwind City or out on wherever the frontline may be, becoing, perhaps, one of the youngest officers in the Vanguard, reaching the rank of Lieutenant at the age of Twenty-Three. As well as he combat skills, Cotira has also displayed remarkable skill as a Field Medic with her work in Field Dressing and Anti-venoms.